memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第73章

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nquered；　and　subjugated。

The　people　of　all　this　region　are　represented　in　the　Army　of　Virginia；　at　Charleston；　Mobile；　and　Chattanooga。　　They　have　sons　and　relations　in　each　of　the　rebel　armies；　and　naturally　are　interested　in　their　fate。　　Though　we　hold　military　possession　of　the　key…points　of　their　country；　still　they　contend；　and　naturally；　that　should　Lee　succeed　in　Virginia；　or　Bragg　at　Chattanooga；　a　change　will　occur　here　also。　　We　cannot　for　this　reason　attempt　to　reconstruct　parts　of　the　South　as　we　conquer　it；　till　all　idea　of　the　establishment　of　a　Southern　Confederacy　is　abandoned。　　We　should　avail　ourselves　of　the　present　lull　to　secure　the　strategical　points　that　will　give　us　an　advantage　in　the　future　military　movements；　and　we　should　treat　the　idea　of　civil　government　as　one　in　which　we　as　a　nation　have　a　minor　or　subordinate　interest。　　The　opportunity　is　good　to　impress　on　the　population　the　truth　that　they　are　more　interested　in　civil　government　than　we　are；　and　that；　to　enjoy　the　protection　of　laws；　they　most　not　be　passive　observers　of　events；　but　must　aid　and　sustain　the　constituted　authorities　in　enforcing　the　laws；　they　must　not　only　submit　themselves；　but　should　pay　their　share　of　taxes；　and　render　personal　services　when　called　on。

It　seems　to　me；　in　contemplating　the　history　of　the　past　two　years；　that　all　the　people　of　our　country；　North；　South；　East；　and　West；　have　been　undergoing　a　salutary　political　schooling；　learning　lessons　which　might　have　been　acquired　from　the　experience　of　other　people；　but　we　had　all　become　so　wise　in　our　own　conceit　that　we　world　only　learn　by　actual　experience　of　our　own。　　The　people　even　of　small　and　unimportant　localities；　North　as　well　as　South；　had

reasoned　themselves　into　the　belief　that　their　opinions　were　superior　to　the　aggregated　interest　of　the　whole　nation。　　Half　our　territorial　nation　rebelled；　on　a　doctrine　of　secession　that　they　themselves　now　scout；　and　a　real　numerical　majority　actually　believed　that　a　little　State　was　endowed　with　such　sovereignty　that　it　could　defeat　the　policy　of　the　great　whole。　　I　think　the　present　war　has　exploded　that　notion；　and　were　this　war　to　cease　now；　the　experience　gained；　though　dear；　would　be　worth　the　expense。

Another　great　and　important　natural　truth　is　still　in　contest；　and　can　only　be　solved　by　war。　　Numerical　majorities　by　vote　have　been　our　great　arbiter。　　Heretofore　all　men　have　cheerfully　submitted　to　it　in　questions　left　open；　but　numerical　majorities　are　not　necessarily　physical　majorities。　　The　South；　though　numerically　inferior；　contend　they　can　whip　the　Northern　superiority　of　numbers；　and　therefore　by　natural　law　they　contend　that　they　are　not　bound　to　submit。　　This　issue　is　the　only　real　one；　and　in　my　judgment　all　else　should　be　deferred　to　it。　　War　alone　can　decide　it；　and　it　is　the　only　question　now　left　for　us　as　a　people　to　decide。　　Can　we　whip　the　South？　If　we　can；　our　numerical　majority　has　both　the　natural　and　constitutional　right　to　govern　them。　　If　we　cannot　whip　them；　they　contend　for　the　natural　right　to　select　their　own　government；　and　they　have　the　argument。　　Our　armies　must　prevail　over　theirs；　our　officers；　marshals；　and　courts；　must　penetrate　into　the　innermost　recesses　of　their　land；　before　we　have　the　natural　right　to　demand　their　submission。

I　would　banish　all　minor　questions；　assert　the　broad　doctrine　that　as　a　nation　the　United　States　has　the　right；　and　also　the　physical　power；　to　penetrate　to　every　part　of　our　national　domain；　and　that　we　will　do　itthat　we　will　do　it　in　our　own　time　and　in　our　own　way；　that　it　makes　no　difference　whether　it　be　in　one　year；　or　two；　or　ten；　or　twenty；　that　we　will　remove　and　destroy　every　obstacle；　if　need　be；　take　every　life；　every　acre　of　land；　every　particle　of　property；　every　thing　that　to　us　seems　proper；　that　we　will　not　cease　till　the　end　is　attained；　that　all　who　do　not　aid　us　are　enemies；　and　that　we　will　not　account　to　them　for　our　acts。　　If　the　people　of　the　South　oppose；　they　do　so　at　their　peril；　and　if　they　stand　by；　mere　lookers…on　in　this　domestic　tragedy；　they　have　no　right　to　immunity；　protection；　or　share　in　the　final　results。

I　even　believe　and　contend　further　that；　in　the　North；　every　member　of　the　nation　is　bound　by　both　natural　and　constitutional　law　to　〃maintain　and　defend　the　Government　against　all　its　enemies　and　opposers　whomsoever。〃　　If　they　fail　to　do　it　they　are　derelict；　and　can　be　punished；　or　deprived　of　all　advantages　arising　from　the　labors　of　those　who　do。　　If　any　man；　North　or　South；　withholds　his　share　of　taxes；　or　his　physical　assistance　in　this；　the　crisis　of　our　history；　he　should　be　deprived　of　all　voice　in　the　future　elections　of　this　country；　and　might　be　banished；　or　reduced　to　the　condition　of　a　mere　denizen　of　the　land。

War　is　upon　us；　none　can　deny　it。　　It　is　not　the　choice　of　the　Government　of　the　United　States；　but　of　a　faction；　the　Government　was　forced　to　accept　the　issue；　or　to　submit　to　a　degradation　fatal　and　disgraceful　to　all　the　inhabitants。　　In　accepting　war；　it　should　be　〃pure　and　simple〃　as　applied　to　the　belligerents。　　I　would　keep　it　so；　till　all　traces　of　the　war　are　effaced；　till　those　who　appealed　to　it　are　sick　and　tired　of　it；　and　come　to　the　emblem　of　our　nation；　and　sue　for　peace。　　I　would　not　coax　them；　or　even　meet　them　half…way；　but　make　them　so　sick　of　war　that　generations　would　pass　away　before　they　would　again　appeal　to　it。

I　know　what　I　say　when　I　repeat　that　the　insurgents　of　the　South　sneer　at　all　overtures　looking　to　their　interests。　　They　scorn　the　alliance　with　the　Copperheads；　they　tell　me　to　my　face　that　they　respect　Grant；　McPherson；　and　our　brave　associates　who　fight　manfully　and　well　for　a　principle；　but　despise　the　Copperheads　and　sneaks　at　the　North；　who　profess　friendship　for　the　South　and　opposition　to　the　war；　as　mere　covers　for　their　knavery　and　poltroonery。

God　knows　that　I　deplore　this　fratricidal　war　as　much　as　any　man　living；　but　it　is　upon　us；　a　physical　fact；　and　there　is　only　one　honorable　issue　from　it。　　We　must　fight　it　out；　army　against　army；　and　man　against　man；　and　I　know；　and　you　know；　and　civilians　begin　to　realize　the　fact；　that　reconciliation　and　reconstruction　will　be　easier　through　and　by　means　of　strong；　well…equipped；　and　organized　armies　than　through　any　species　of　conventions　that　can　be　framed。　The　issues　are　made；　and　all　discussion　is　out　of　place　and　ridiculous。　　The　section　of　thirty…pounder　Parrott　rifles　now　drilling　before　my　tent　is　a　more　convincing　argument　than　the　largest　Democratic　meeting　the　State　of　New　York　can　possibly　assemble　at　Albany；　and　a　simple　order　of　the　War　Department　to　draft　enough　men　to　fill　our　skeleton　regiments　would　be　more　convincing　as　to　our　national　perpetuity　than　an　humble　pardon　to　Jeff。　　Davis　and　all　his　misled　host。

The　only　government　needed　or　deserved　by　the　States　of　Louisiana；　Arkansas；　and　Mississippi；　now　exists　in　Grant's　army。　　This　needs；　simply；　enough　privates　to　fill　its　ranks；　all　else　will　follow　in　due　season。　　This　army　has　its　well…defined　code　of　laws　and　practice；　and　can　adapt　itself　to　the　wants　and　necessities　of　a　city；　the　country；　the　rivers；　the　sea；　indeed　to　all　parts　of　this　land。　　It　better　subserves　the　interest　and　policy　of　the　General　Government；　and　the　people　here　prefer　it　to　any　weak　or　servile　combination　that　would　at　once；　from　force　of　habit；　revive　sad　perpetuate　local　prejudices　and　passions。　　The　people　of　this　country　have　forfeited　all　right　to　a　voice　in　the　councils　of　the　nation。　　They　know　it　and　feel　it；　and　in　after…years　they　will　be　the　better　citizens　from　the　dear　bought　experience　of　the　present　crisis。　　Let　them　learn　now；　and　learn　it　well；　that　good　citizens　must　obey　as　well　as　command。　　Obedience　to　law；　absoluteyea；　even　abjectis　the　lesson　that　this　war；　under　Providence；　will　teach　the　free　and　enlightened　American　citizen。　　Aa　a　nation；　we　shall　be　the　better　for　it。

I　never　have　apprehended　foreign　interference　in　our　family　quarrel。　　Of　coarse；　governments　founded　on　a　different　and　it　may　be　an　antagonistic　principle　with　ours　naturally　feel　a　pleasure　at　our　complications；　and；　it　may　be；　wish　our　downfall；　but　in　the　end　England　and　France　will　join　with　us　in　jubilation　at　the　triumph　of　constitutional　government　over　faction。　　Even　now　the　English　manifest　this。　　I　do　not　profess　to　understand　Napoleon's　design　in　Mexico；　and　I　do　not；　see　that　his　taking　military　possession　of　Mexico　concerns　us。　　We　have　as　much　territory　now　as　we　want。　　The　Mexicans　have　failed　in　self…government；　and　it　was　a　question　as　to　what　nation　she　should　fall　a　prey。　　That　is　now　solved；　and　I　don't　see　that　we　are　damaged。　　We　have　the　finest　part　of　the　North　American　Continent；　all　we　can　people　and　can　take　care　of；　and；　if　we　can　suppress　rebellion　in　our　own　land；　and　compose　the　strife　generated　by　it；　we　shall　have　enough　people；　resources；　and　wealth；　if　well　combined；　to　defy　interference　from　any　and　every　quarter。

I　therefore　hope　the　Government　of　the　United　States　will　continue；　as　heretofore；　to　collect；　in　well…organized　armies；　the　physical　strength　of　the　nation；　applying　it；　as　heretofore；　in　asserting　the　national　authority；　and　in　persevering；　without　relaxation；　to　the　end。　　This；　whether　near　or　far　off；　is　not　for　us　to　say；　but；　fortunately；　we　have　no　choice。　　We　must　succeedno　other　choice　is　left　us　except　degradation。　　The　South　must　be　ruled　by　us；　or　she　will　rule　us。　　We　must　conquer　them；　or　ourselves　be　conquered。　There　is　no　middle　course。　　They　ask；　and　will　have；　nothing　else；　and　talk　of　compromise　is　bosh；　for　we　know　they　would　even　scorn　the　offer。

I　wish　the　war　could　have　been　deferred　for　twenty　years；　till　the　superabundant　population　of　the　North　could　flow　in　and　replace　the　losses　sustained　by　war；　but　this　could　not　be；　and　we　are　forced　to　take　things　as　they　are。

All　therefore　I　can　now　venture　to　advise　is　to　raise　the　draft　to　its　maximum；　fill　the　present　regiments　to　as　large　a　standard　as　possible；　and　push　the　war；　pure　and　simple。　　Great　attention　should　be　paid　to　the　discipline　of　our　armies；　for　on　them　may　be　founded　the　future　stability　of　the　Government。

The　cost　of　the　war　is；　of　course；　to　be　considered；　but　finances　will　adjust　themselves　to　the　actual　state　of　affairs；　and；　even　if　we　would；　we　could　not　change　the　cost。　　Indeed；　the　larger　the　cost　now；　the　less　will　it　be　in　the　end；　for　the　end　must　be　attained　somehow；　regardless　of　loss　of　life　and　treasure；　and　is　merely　a　question　of　time。

Excuse　so　long　a　letter。　　With　great　respect；　etc。；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。


General　Halleck；　on　receipt　of　this　letter；　telegraphed　me　that　Mr。　Lincoln　had　read　it　carefully；　and　had　instructed　him　to　obtain　my　consent　to　have　it　published。　　At　the　time；　I　preferred　not　to　be　drawn　into　any　newspaper　controversy；　and　so　wrote　to　General　Halleck；　and　the　above　letter　has　never　been；　to　my　knowledge；　published；　though　Mr。　Lincoln　more　than　once　referred　to　it　with　marks　of　approval。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTEENTH　ARMY　CORPS　CAMP　ON　BIG　BLACK；　September　17；　1863

Brigadier…General　J。　A。　RAWLINS；　Acting　Assistant　Adjutant…General；　Vicksburg。